Hope for the Red Sox

Remember this moment in 2004? Keep the faith.
If you hang with anyone who’s a Boston Red Sox fan, either part of Red Sox Nation or the “Hey, I wear a pink or plaid Red Sox hat” fan, the talk is about just how badly the home team is playing. But consider this baseball fans—Major League Baseball has the longest season and plays more games than any other sport in the world. What does that mean? It means, to quote Yogi Berra, “It ain’t over, till it’s over.”

Truer Words Were Never Spoke

Baseball is a game of attrition. It’s like one of those year-long sieges they used to have before modern warfare was able to neutralize just about any impediment to winning, It’s all about who has the best team as you head into August with two months left to go. If you’re within about 12 games, you actually have a shot. So don’t give up Red Sox fans a lot can happen. We’ve been through it before (including miraculous comebacks and dumbfounding disintegrations).

And if there’s one thing we have learned in the past decade or so it is that the Evil Empire can crumble too. The other thing we learned was that the price of winning a World Series in New York, New York is over $1 billion. (Yes, that’s how much the Yanks spent on payroll between the hoisting of World Series trophies.)

The Good News

The good news is the Red Sox are in last place in the AL East. How is that good news? They are only 6.5 games out of first and a mere 5.5 away from the Wild Card. Am I being too optimistic? I think not. Here’s why.

Of all last place teams in the majors, the Red Sox are the best. In the American League, the Twins are 8.5 out of first and the Mariners are 9.5. In the National League, Philly is 10, Chicago 12.5 and San Diego 18.5 games out!

Best Red Sox News

Clay Buchholz (7-2) is back in form. This season, he had a 9.09 ERA after his first six starts. It’s now down to 5.38. His ERA in his last three starts is 1.13, and in that time, he has 22 Ks in 24 innings. He’s 3-0 in that time. The Red Sox have won two games in their last nine and he has both victories.

What about hitting? Is it just a matter of time, as some say? Maybe, but some time soon these guys need timely hitting all the time. That’s all there is to it. But it is a long season and it really ain’t over until it’s over. So keep the rally hats on-hand and ride out the slumps and enjoy the highs and hope that in the end, when this 162-game marathon season is over the Boston Red Sox are in the postseason and healthy.

Keep the Faith

If that occurs then anything can happen. Even in the bottom of the ninth in what should have been the game where Boston would be eliminated by the Yankees in the postseason. Remember that pinch runner who stole second to turn everything around? See YouTube “4 Nights: The 2004 Redsox Cinderella Story” if you don’t remember that moment and at 1 minute 40 seconds, you’ll see who and what I’m talking about. Keep the faith!